Must-see nightlife in Frankfurt & Southern Rhineland

  • Hagenbräu

    Heidelberg Region

    Producing four varieties of beer each month (light, dark, wheat beer and a seasonal brew such as potato beer), this half-timbered microbrewery is one of…

  • Baker Street

    Frankfurt & Southern Rhineland

    Named for Sherlock Holmes' fictional home, this fabulous Victorian-era-themed bar with crackling open fireplaces bills itself as a 'criminal tea room and…

  • Zum Grünen Baum

    Bacharach

    Dating from 1421, this olde-worlde tavern serves some of Bacharach’s best whites; the Weinkarussel (€22.50) lets you sample 15 of them. Its nearby Weingut…

  • Le Panther

    Frankfurt am Main

    Noise levels aren't a problem at this spectacular club, which occupies an 1808 villa surrounded by manicured gardens with fountains, ponds and lounges…

  • Weinstube Spitzhäuschen

    Moselle Valley

    Wine bars don't come cuter than this crooked half-timbered building (the Moselle's oldest, dating from 1416), which resembles a giant bird house: its…

  • Zum Roten Ochsen

    Heidelberg

    Fronted by a red-painted, blue-grey-shuttered facade, Heidelberg’s most historic student pub has black-and-white frat photos on the dark wooden walls and…

  • Naïv

    Frankfurt am Main

    At any one time this contemporary bar (and attached shop) has between 90 to 120 craft beers from around the world – everywhere from Hawaii to Norway – in…

  • Weincafe Kostbar

    German Wine Route

    Run by Deidesheim local Markus Badura, whose intricate coffee etchings have seen him crowned the German latte art champion, this laid-back cafe has…

  • Alte Weinstube Zum Hubertus

    Koblenz

    Specialising in Rhine and Moselle wines by the glass and/or bottle, rustic Alte Weinstube Zum Hubertus occupies a half-timbered house dating from 1689,…

  • Spiritus

    Mainz

    Hefty ceiling beams and a bar made from recycled timbers blend the old and new at this hip little drinking den. Over 300 infused spirits are used in its…

  • Weinhaus Ibald

    Moselle Valley

    Occupying a 1547 half-timbered building in the little village of Hatzenport, wonderfully local Weinhaus Ibald specialises in Rieslings, sparkling Spätlese…

  • Weingut Georg Fritz von Nell

    Trier

    To appreciate the Riesling, rivaner, Elbling and chardonnay at this rustic seven-generation Weingut without worrying about driving, its bus can pick you…

  • Sugar Mama

    Frankfurt am Main

    Mismatched vintage furniture – '70s couches, rocking chairs, timber packing crates and cushioned cane armchairs – creates an outdoor lounge room on the…

  • KulturBrauerei

    Heidelberg

    With its wood-plank floor, chairs from a Spanish monastery, black iron chandeliers and an enchanting beer garden, this brewpub is an atmospheric spot to…

  • Frollein Bent

    Heidelberg

    With just 13 seats, the interior of this retro-style bar can be cramped, but its big draw is its sun-drenched terrace on a riverfront square – a…

  • Petersilie Bier & Weinstube

    German Wine Route

    On the town's liveliest square, Petersilie is a great spot to try local wines (including organic wines) by the glass, or to knock back a frothy beer…

  • Kaffeerösterei Wissmüller

    Frankfurt am Main

    The aroma of freshly roasted coffee lures you through a covered alley and cobbled courtyard to this hidden spot. Kaffeerösterei Wissmüller has been…

  • Strand Bar 443

    Heidelberg Region

    Tiki huts and sandy beaches lined with sun lounges are the last thing you'd expect to find along the Rhine, but this beach bar sees this stretch of…

  • Alter Hammer

    Heidelberg Region

    On the grassy banks of the Rhine, this half-timbered manor house has a sprawling, 360-seat summer beer garden canopied by linden trees. Its lengthy local…

  • Chocolaterie Yilliy

    Heidelberg

    Especially when the weather's chilly, this is a wonderful spot to warm up with a wickedly thick house-speciality hot chocolate in flavours like hazelnut,…

  • Vetter's Alt Heidelberger Brauhaus

    Heidelberg

    The gleaming copper kettles at this dark-wood pub contain house beers including Helles (blond), Dunkles Hefweizen (dark wheat beer), Doppel Bock (double…

  • Mantis

    Frankfurt am Main

    Mantis' ground floor houses a buzzing, curvilinear glass-fronted bar and grill, while the 1st-floor lounge bar opens to a garden with a retractable roof…

  • Weingut Georg Breuer

    Rhine Valley

    All-organic wines produced by this 1880-established winery are mostly Rieslings but there are also some pinot noir, pinot gris, orléans and heunisch…

  • Jules Verne

    Frankfurt & Southern Rhineland

    Filled with mismatched flea-market-sourced furniture, this free-wheeling bar has jazz and blues concerts, stand-up comedy nights and film screenings…

  • Weinhaus Heilig Grab

    Rhine Valley

    Across the street from the Hauptbahnhof, Boppard’s oldest wine tavern, dating back over 200 years, offers a cosy setting for sipping ‘Holy Sepulchre’…

  • Manoamano

    Wiesbaden

    Wiesbaden's coolest cocktail bar has a 9m-long LED light wall, custom-made luminescent panels on its walls and ceiling, and amazing cocktails: elderflower…

  • Südbahnhof

    Frankfurt am Main

    This Musik-Lokal, inside the Südbahnhof S-Bahn station, is known for its ‘30-Plus’ parties (9pm to 3am Saturday), open to anyone who’s been around for at…

  • Fichtekränzi

    Frankfurt am Main

    Founded in 1849, Fichtekränzi is an authentic apple wine tavern with wood-panelled walls, smoke-stained murals, long tables, long benches, a beer garden…

  • Eisgrub-Bräu

    Mainz

    Take a seat in this down-to-earth microbrewery’s warren of vaulted chambers or on the heated pavement terrace and order a mug of Dunkel (dark) or Hell …

  • Weingut Michel

    Mainz

    Mainz' only Weingut (winery) to exclusively serve its own wines occupies a vine-draped stone building that's housed a wine bar since 1756. Along with…

  • Zehnthauskeller

    Moselle Valley

    Starting in 1574, the Zehnthauskeller was used to store wine delivered as a tithe; it now houses a romantically dark, vaulted wine cellar where you can…

  • Bootshaus Dreyer

    Frankfurt am Main

    Festooned with geranium-filled flower boxes, the top deck of this summertime boat bar is a sensational spot for an apple wine or beer on a balmy evening…

  • Jimmy's Bar

    Frankfurt am Main

    Wood panelling, leather armchairs, a live pianist from 10pm to 3am, and expertly mixed cocktails make this cigar bar in the basement of the Hotel…

  • Espresso Bar

    Frankfurt am Main

    Vintage fittings including copper lights and baristas in long white laboratory coats make this hole-in-the-wall an atmospheric stop for an expertly brewed…

  • Apfelwein Klaus

    Frankfurt am Main

    Over a century old, this charming little stone vaulted cellar has communal benches where you can strike up a conversation with locals over a jug of apple…

  • Historische Weinwirtschaft

    Rhine Valley

    A half-timbered, slate-walled house with exposed timber ceiling beams and creaky timber floors is a fantastically atmospheric setting for sampling local…

  • Destille

    Heidelberg

    An enormous tree frames the bar of this mellow pub, which is famed for its Warmer Erpel ('warm duck'; spicy schnapps). It also serves various other…

  • Weinhaus Minarski

    Trier

    Whites, reds, rosés and sparkling wines from local and regional vineyards are available by the glass or bottle at this stylish city-centre wine bar…

  • Weingut Felsenkeller

    Rhine Valley

    Across the street from the Sesselbahn station, next to a little stream, this homey place serves its own and other local growers’ wines along with hearty…

  • Maincafé

    Frankfurt am Main

    Hidden away between the embankment and the water’s edge, this cafe set in a grassy riverfront park with dazzling views of the city-centre skyline is an…